Cuisines: Italian

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One of my kids favorite things to eat, believe it or not, (at least 2 of them) is brown butter and sage pasta with parmesan. I don’t blame them. If you have never tried this simple dish, try it, trust me, it’s delicious. I grown […]

Pizza is a big deal in my house. I honestly do not remember the last time I threw a frozen pizza in the oven, maybe it was weeks ago for a quick dinner for my kids, but typically I am making my own dough and using the outdoor Kettle Pizza that my wife got me last year for Father’s Day. I love the Kettle Pizza, and have been knocking out great pizzas in a matter of minutes. This one was no exception.

Every couple of weeks, I make pizzas, and I typically have the kids build their own pizzas. Typically the standard is pepperoni, a sausage, and a cheese and onion. My wife may get a little crazy and ask for a mushroom and onion, but me, I always leave some dough for a new creation. This is when the puttanesca pizza came into play.

Puttanesca is typically done with pasta, however the sauce is the golden ticket, and what a better way to use it than with pizza.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

1 batch of your favorite pizza dough

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

4 fillets of anchovy, chopped

1 tsp dried red chili flakes

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of kalamata olives, pitted

1 tbsp capers

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 pinch of salt

1 cup of tomato sauce

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

2 cups mozzarella cheese

Start by making the sauce. Remember, it’s all about the sauce.

To a skillet, on medium heat, add the oil and let that come to temperature.

Add the garlic, chili flakes, anchovies, kalamata olives, and salt and pepper. Give a good stir.

Once the garlic begins to turn color, add in the sauce, and give another good stir. Then add in the capers, and let this sauce cook, on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Next, form your pizza dough. Sprinkle the dough with the Italian seasoning. Ladle on the puttanesca sauce on top of the dough, then top with the mozzarella cheese.

Place into a very hot oven on a preheated pizza stone (or use your grill and Kettle Pizza if you have one), and cook until the dough is nice and crisp and the cheese is nice and melted.

The end result is awesome! The sauce, if you have never had it, is packed full of flavor. It’s spicy, briney, garlicy, and just down right delicious, and when put on a pizza, well heck, it just gets even better. Hope you enjoy!

To a skillet, on medium heat, add the oil and let that come to temperature.

Add the garlic, chili flakes, anchovies, kalamata olives, and salt and pepper. Give a good stir.

Once the garlic begins to turn color, add in the sauce, and give another good stir. Then add in the capers, and let this sauce cook, on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Next, form your pizza dough. Sprinkle the dough with the Italian seasoning. Ladle on the puttanesca sauce on top of the dough, then top with the mozzarella cheese.

Place into a very hot oven on a preheated pizza stone (or use your grill and Kettle Pizza if you have one), and cook until the dough is nice and crisp and the cheese is nice and melted.

The end result is awesome! The sauce, if you have never had it, is packed full of flavor. It’s spicy, briney, garlicy, and just down right delicious, and when put on a pizza, well heck, it just gets even better. Hope you enjoy!

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My wife and I were discussing the other day about how much we love cauliflower. I don’t think I could stand the stuff when growing up, but quickly fell in love with it later in life, especially roasted with a bit of garlic. Then when I made the cauliflower pizza, that just escalated my love for it, especially when paired with green olives. That led me to take those similar ingredients that were used on the pizza, but turn it into a pasta dish, and really hope that my pasta loving kids would dig in and begin their love for the cauliflower (I somewhat lost on that front).

This pasta dish is packed with awesome flavor, and is truly comforting.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 pound linguine

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 cup of capers

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

12 green olives, sliced in half

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Italian Bread Crumbs

2 tbsp additional olive oil

salt, to taste

cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Start by adding the cauliflower florets to a large mixing bowl. Add in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and give a good toss. Season with some salt and pepper. Place onto a baking sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes, or until you get some nice color on it.

During this time, heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add in the pasta, and cook until al dente.

While these two are cooking, heat a small skillet and add in the 1/3 cup of olive oil. Bring to a medium heat, then toss in the garlic, capers, and chili flakes. Reduce the heat, and continue to cook, being careful not to burn the garlic. You are basically infusing the oil.

Drain the pasta, toss in the parmesan cheese and give a good stir. Add in the sliced olives, give a good toss. Pour in the capers, garlic, and olive oil, and give another good toss. Add the roasted cauliflower and breadcrumbs, and give one more good toss. Taste and season to your liking.

I fell in love with this pasta dish again. There is something about the flavor of the cauliflower that when paired with those olives, garlic, and capers that is just out of this world. My kid, the pasta loving eater? Well, he had a big bowl, and told me had had two florets. I guess I’m winning on that front. I hope you enjoy the linguine with cauliflower and green olives!

Start by adding the cauliflower florets to a large mixing bowl. Add in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and give a good toss. Season with some salt and pepper. Place onto a baking sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes, or until you get some nice color on it.

During this time, heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add in the pasta, and cook until al dente.

While these two are cooking, heat a small skillet and add in the ⅓ cup of olive oil. Bring to a medium heat, then toss in the garlic, capers, and chili flakes. Reduce the heat, and continue to cook, being careful not to burn the garlic. You are basically infusing the oil.

Drain the pasta, toss in the parmesan cheese and give a good stir. Add in the sliced olives, give a good toss. Pour in the capers, garlic, and olive oil, and give another good toss. Add the roasted cauliflower and breadcrumbs, and give one more good toss. Taste and season to your liking.

I fell in love with this pasta dish again. There is something about the flavor of the cauliflower that when paired with those olives, garlic, and capers that is just out of this world. My kid, the pasta loving eater? Well, he had a big bowl, and told me had had two florets. I guess I’m winning on that front. I hope you enjoy the linguine with cauliflower and green olives!